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Are you a bass player? Poll...

Are you a bass player?

  • Yes, I consider myself to be a bass player.

    Votes: 122 75.8%

  • No, I just play some bass.

    Votes: 24 14.9%

  • I like carrots because they have lots of Vitamin A.

    Votes: 15 9.3%
  • Total voters
    161
#41
Pacman said:
I could do everything on that list without any real issues. In fact, other than Mariah Carey, I've done just about everything on that list - and you can add "Play a Persian Music gig tonight, with no rehearsal, and charts that don't make any sense."
Click to expand...

I see the OP forgot to add an item to the list:

10. Go on tour with the greatest military force the world has ever seen?
 
#44
There are guys who, from a practical standpoint, can't really function musically in any context other than the one they're known for. Ironically, sometimes they are the ones who get the most famous. I think it's an identity thing. When all you do is one thing that's really cool...and people like it...you may get serious attention because everyone knows what to expect when they listen to you. It doesn't mean you can't play anything else. Or maybe it does. If you have enough success at it, from a practical standpoint it doesn't really matter. If you think you should know more or be better, that's your business. Go work on it. Know what I mean? There's no absolute benchmark. It comes from you. I think a good way to determine if you're a "player" might also be to ask yourself if you care about what's out there other than what you're already good at.

Mike Brecker and I had a conversation once where he talked about "smooth jazz". His position (this was in the mid 90's) was that even if he didn't like something, he didn't have a philosophical problem with the style unless it was someone who was capable of much deeper musical dialogue who was "playing down" to the style to sell records.

Someone like Dave Sanborn was sort of "smooth jazzy" but it was really him so it had real meaning. Someone like Kenny G was playing his butt of with Jeff Lorber in the early 80's and then started playing down to his audience to sell records.

I've experienced many players on many instruments who simply can't just "play tunes" or even jump into an improvisation and interact. You'd be shocked, but I don't want to dish and step on toes. Suffice it to say, however, that many of them are band leaders...by necessity I imagine. :-)
 
#46
KJung said:
I agree with many of your points. If you can play, you can play. If you can read and know theory, etc., you can still suck in a big way.

I get interested in this topic because I aspire to be better. I want to be a 'master carpenter' not a handyman. I'm kind of in the middle of those two levels right now (even though I'm over 50 years old, for gosh sakes!).

If you can really play, improving your skill set will definitely make you better. Period. I agree with you though, if you suck, going to music school will make you suck while using more notes:D
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I agree 100% with everything you just said.:)
 
#47
AFAIC the term "bass player" is pretty broad - covers everyone who can perform in some useful capacity on bass, from the part-time hobbyist to the world-class session ace. Bass gigs are my primary income these days so I'm probably in there somewhere. ;)

Read music? yes - not "LA studio" caliber
Charts? heck yeah
Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? yes - if there's something decent to come up with a good bass line TO :D
Play most gigs without rehearsal? round here, yes
Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? maybe
Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? I assumed she uses tracks :hiding:
Play a salsa gig tonight? I've been rehearsing with them and shedding on their book, so sure! :D
Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? yes (unless the drummer doesn't play well with a click and the "artist" isn't sure how the arrangement ought to go :rollno:)
Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? yes - but I'd probably just step up & do the vocals myself
 
#49
I don't think I've seen an ad on Craigslist for some guy/gal who "plays some bass". It's always "bass player wanted". Now it might be for various levels of performance/talent, etc. that distinguish one from another but all the guys/gals who answer the ads most likely consider themselves "bass players", just like all the guys/gals on TB.
 
#50
Mmmm I thought the list of questions was a little extreme and I can think there would be some honest 'bass players' that couldn't say yes to a fair number of them. It seemed to me most of those questions were based on experience gigging and not necessarily the talent of playing the bass.

I consider myself more then just a chick who plays bass but with no experience gigging, by your questions, dare I call myself a 'bass player'? Others consider me a bass /player/ not someone to /plays/bass but can I take that for what its worth?

I can come up with a good bass line in a couple of minutes, I can't read music but I can read the hell out of tabs. Than again who can't? I can read the charts in my scales book just fine, I can keep time in most cases dead on without a drum track. I create more original licks then practice covers and when I practiced with that 'guitardist' (sorry but that IS what he was and good riddance to him IMO) I knew last year I honest to god, helped him shape his origial riffs more than just kicked back, backing him with lame backup plinking.

What am I though? A bass player or someone who just plays bass? I have no clue what I would be to those looking in so to speak but I consider myself a bass /player/ *shrug*
 
#51
StarscreamG1 said:
What am I though? A bass player or someone who just plays bass? I have no clue what I would be to those looking in so to speak but I consider myself a bass /player/ *shrug*
Click to expand...

:rollno::rollno: silly girl. don't you know from the original post that you have no talent, you're wasting your time, you're not good - at least not as good as the OP, and that all you do is mindlessly pluck on some strings? shoot, you might not even know the names of those strings... are they even in tune? i bet you even have to use a tuner to tune them. :scowl: :eyebrow:

obviously this is sarcasm. i guess someone had to feel superior so they decided to start a post.

when i run into someone who plays bass i feel an instant connection (fraternity like) and love to talk to them about what they play, the amps they're using, what they're learning and so on. i guess i'm naive, but i assumed that same thing of other bassists - especially here on TB. guess not. i wonder how many people think i'm just taking up space here and should move on because i'm not a real bassist? wow.
 
#55
allexcosta said:
You may want to read the OP again. At no moment I claim to know any of that, nor have classified myself...
AFAIK this is a place for discussion and I wanted to hear opinions on the subject. :hmm:
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have you always had the last line in that original post? i don't seem to remember that. btw, if this is meant to bring about discussion i think there is a better way. i'm not the only one in this thread who read your post and was a little offended. discussion would have been more like... "so what do you guys think separates a bassist from someone who's just plucking on some strings for a hobby?" the way you wrote it (especially if that last line wasn't in the original post) makes it sound as though if you're not pretty competent in the things you've deemed important that you're not a bassist.
 
#58
dean owens said:
also, you didn't answer me... did you have your last sentence in the original post or was it added later. that sentence changes things. i'm curious if i just missed it.
Click to expand...

Yes, I added that when I realized that the way I put the words together bothered some folks. Guess didn't work too well... :D

It's all good, though... Meant no offense, honestly...
 
#60
allexcosta said:
Tabs are worthless...
Click to expand...

Discussion -

I know this is the internet so I won't assume arrogance with the above statement. I don't use tabs myself. However if tabs gets someone interested and keeps them interested in playing because they can play a song they like in a short time frame how can they be worthless? Not everyone has access to or the finances available to take lessons when getting started. I know a lot of young people who have started playing with tabs simply because it is a great place to start.

I believe that most of the questions in the OP should be directed to session/hired hand type players. I can read some music but not where I can just jump in and play to sheet music. I can read charts but don't generally have to. But play a salsa? Forget it. Play with Maria Carey? Forget it. But do I have any desire to do those things? No. I like playing in bands and being a part of the band. I have had leaders from touring bands (we opened for them) tell me that they were very impressed with my bass playing. Because I can't play a salsa but do get the odd compliment on my playing does that make me a "bass player" or a "bassist"? I don't know.

I guess different skill sets for different situations. :hmm:

I do like developing my skills and would like to learn more about reading sheet music. I just have to juggle that into an already tight schedule.
 

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